Thanks 4: A Doxology in Darkness
This is the fourth devotional on Give Thanks, this year’s theme to prepare us to pray for prodigals on June 2, the Worldwide Prodigal Prayer Day. This and the final devotional will be focused on those who love a prodigal, but they are true and helpful for anyone.
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New horrors every day. Today’s newspaper, of course, focused on the horror of 19 4th graders and 2 adults murdered in Uvalde TX. Then on the world page: New horrors discovered in Mariupol.
How do we absorb this? So heartbreaking.
And then, perhaps, your prodigal has landed in jail, or overdosed, or taken his own life.
Whatever place our journey has led us to now, even in our difficult journeys with prodigals, we can benefit from some reminders of why we can keep on trusting God: He is God. He is good. He loves us. Jesus, who died for us, is our bread and water and shepherd and much more. The Spirit of God lives in us.
So perhaps those reminders will spark the solid evidence that we are genuinely growing in that trust. Brennan Manning in All Is Grace suggests this:
The foremost quality of a trusting disciple is gratefulness. Gratitude arises from the lived perception, evaluation, and acceptance of all of life as grace—as an undeserved and unearned gift from the Father’s hand….
Consider these characteristics of gratitude:
ALL MEANS ALL
It is easy to make a list of all the “blessings”—the good things—in our lives, for which we are grateful. It would be a good practice to do that daily.
But the kind of lived-out gratitude that is proof of our trust in God will also include saying, “Thank You, Lord” in everything—including those things we prefer were not happening in our lives.
Even for the pain caused by loving a prodigal.
GRATITUDE PAYS ATTENTION
The busyness of life, the bombardment of messages from our culture and the challenges of the choices of one we love all distract us from an awareness of our God who is active in every detail of our lives. As it says repeatedly in Way Maker:
Even when I don't see it, You're working
Even when I don't feel it, You're working
You never stop, You never stop working
You never stop, You never stop working.
A heart of gratefulness stays aware of God in the beautiful events and joys, and in the difficult circumstances and experiences. This kind of gratitude pays attention to what He is doing, what He is saying, how He is working.
GRATITUDE IS CATCHING
You know those people you don’t want to run into: the complaining, whiny ones who pass on to you their negative, ungrateful attitudes.
But you also know the ones who, in the midst of difficulties and disappointments, still exude joy and gratitude. You love to be with them, and perhaps you even “catch” some of that grateful spirit.
We tend to think that only joyful circumstances will make us thankful. In reality, joy—in any circumstance, good or bad—comes from an already grateful heart.
THERE IS A GOD
Manning says that gratitude focuses on God: The theocentric character of gratitude is anchored in trust that there is Someone to thank.
The word theocentric means “having God as the central focus.” We have affirmed all that God is. Hopefully, we have begun to see that God is totally trustworthy. He provides for us, meets our needs, stays with us, gives us strength and perseverance and wisdom—and hope.
As our trust expands, so will our gratitude. We will increasingly choose to…give thanks in all circumstances. (1 Thessalonians 5:18)
I love this thought from Manning: To be grateful for an unanswered prayer, to give thanks in a state of interior desolation, to trust in the love of God in the face of the marvels, cruel circumstances, obscenities and commonplaces of life is to whisper a doxology in darkness.
Can you whisper a doxology in the darkness?
Gratefully,
Judy Douglass
P.S. So perhaps you have questions about the Worldwide Prodigal Prayer Day.. And I have some answers.
1. How do I give you a name of someone I want prayer for?
You can reply to this email with the first name, or you can send it to PrayerforProdigals@gmail.com.
2. How do I join in praying for the names on the list?
You can pray by yourself or with friends, neighbors, church members, a parents of prodigals group. Most often a couple of hours in the evening, but a morning walk is good. Or just in your Quiet Time. In the next devotional I will give you a link to the list.
3. How do I join the private Prayer for Prodigals Community?
Reply to this email with a request to join, or write to PrayerforProdigals@gmail.com.